Folding crate.



W. BUCKHANNON.

FOLDING CRATE.

1,069,689. m1' Patented Aug, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

YILQII M ww www ww W. BUGKHANNON.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I, 1911.

Patented Aug. 5, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

erre sr WILLIAM BUCKI-IANNON, OF NAPIER, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO MATTHEW W. I-IEFNER ANI) FREDERICK G. HOOVER, BOTH OF BURNS- VILLE, WEST VIRGINIA.

FOLDING CRATE.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug'. 5,1913.

Application filed .Tuly 1, 1911. Serial No. 636,321.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM BUCKHAN- NoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Napier, in the county of Braxton and State of lVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Crates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to what are known as knock down crates in which the crate is constructed with foldable sides, ends and top, thereby adapting it to be shipped in compact form.

rilhe invention has for its object to provide an improved foldable crate which may be readily set up for use and folded in compact form so as to take up litt-le room.

rIhe invention further has for its objectto provide an improved lrnockdown crate which will be simple, strong and durable and .when set up will have its foldable members securely held in place.

The invention further has for its obj ect to provide a foldable crate which may be utilized not only for transporting goods but also as a chicken coop.

Referring to the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a knock down crate constructed in accordance with this invention showing it set up for use and adapted to be used as a chicken coop. Fig. 2 is an end view in cross section showing the sides, ends and top folded. Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal section showing the crate in folded position. Fig. 4 is a detail view in perspective showing the crate set up for use and adapted to be used for transporting eggs. Fig. 5 is an end view in longitudinal section partly broken away and in reduced form showing the crate set up for use. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the door for the chicken coop. Fig. 7 is a detail View of one of the fastening devices for securing the foldable floors of the top together. Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the hinges connecting the side and top members together.

In the construction of this invention a suitable base is provided and, as here shown, consisting of an oblong rectangular base 1, which may be made of wood or metal, and, as here shown, preferably of wood, having secured on its top and at its sides longitudinal strips 2 and beneath its ends the transverse supporting strips 3. The

sides, ends, and the top of the crate which are foldable upon one another consist of the oblong rectangular side frames 41, the rectangular end frames 5 and the top consisting of a pair of oblong rectangular frames 6, each of which is hinged at one edge to one edge of the side frames fi. Each of said rectangular frames is formed of a heavy piece of wire, the side and end frames being hinged to the base portion of t-he crate by means of wire loops 7, or other suitable hinged connections and each of said frames, as shown in Fig. 1, has extended across it longitudinal wires 8, and cross wires 9 spaced at suitable intervals apart from each other. The two members 6 of the top are each hinged to one edge of the side members i by means of suitable hinges, and, as here shown, each preferably consisting of hinges 10, consisting of a piece of wire folded to form a loo-pcd portion 11 which straddles one of the cross wires 9 and bent over, its members 12, passing around one of the longitudinal members of the rectangular frame 4, and terminating in the ends 13 bent over the outside longitudinal portions of the rectangular frame 6. To secure the top members 6 together when the crate is set up suitable fastening means is provided, as, for example, the rod 14 hinged at one end to one of the side frames 6 and formed with a curved portion 15 adjacent to its other end which terminates in a lateral projection 16. By means of this fastening means the rod 14 may be placed so as to extend over the meeting edges of the top frame 6 with its projecting end 16 placed under and in engagement with one of the longitudinal wires 8 of one of the frames 6, as shown in Fig. 1. When the crate is in unfolded position as shown in Fig. 2 the fastening rod 14 extends over one of the top members 6 with its curved end sprung over one of the longitudinal members of one of the side frames 4 and resting in the recess 17 as shown in Fig. 2.

Besides the rod 14, the top members 6 are securelyfastened together by fastening devices, and preferably by means of a fastening device at each end of the crate as here shown consisting of a folded piece of wire having a downwardly depending looped portion 18 extending outside of the upper cross bar of an end frame 5 and behind one of the vertical cross wires 9 of said frame.

The fastening device is further formed with. horizontal portions 19 extending from the depending loopedl portion 18, and with downwardly extending 21 and upwardly projecting looped portions .Q2-which straddle. oneof the transverse wiresk 9, then with downwardly dependinglooped portions 23 and upwardly' projecting inwardly curved ends 24 which are flexible and are sprung into engagement with the adjacent longitudinal members` of the rectangular top lfr'anie- 6, asshown in Fig. 1.

In order that the crate may serve as a chicken coop it is-pr'ovid'ed with a suitable opening located' at a suitable point for thel insertion and removal offowl's, and as here shown, located in one ofthe t'opmembers 6, andi closedV by'rneans ofaV hinged wire gratf ing "25 having its forward end-provided with a pair of curved flexible projections 26`w-hich are adapted to be sprung overand engage a pair of-the longitudinalwi'res '8'of' one of thetop frames 6. The'crate shown in Fig." t issimilar in construction to that shown in Fig. 1 except that it is adapted for useY to transport eggs' by being covered with line wire mesh.- In order thatthe eggs in patent boxes may besecurelyheldin placethe crate ispreferablyformed" with a transverse par'- tition consistingof a' rectangular frame 2'?V offs'tout wire detachabl'y held in place in-any suitable manner to the crate, the frame 27 and the frames of the crate being covered:

with a fine mesh 28.

The crate being constructed with the foldable members asl hereinbefore set forth may be folded upv from the of the catch at each end of the' crate and lifting said catches out of engagement with the top members 6. They arm 14 isalso disengaged from the top member' yby pushingits'end 16 outv'of engagement with` the topmember (l.v The sides and top members diagonal portions 2() and from thence to the horizontal portions I wardly projecting position shown inV F ig. l by disengaging the ieXib-le ends 24 are then turned outward and the end membersv folded inwardly upon the base of the crate and the sides-and toplinembers are then folded over one upon another as shown in Fig; 2, the several folded members of the crate being in the position shown in Figs. 2 and.V

It will be seen that the foldable members may be readily folded up or extended to set up position and can readily be secured together or taken apart. The'orate shown in Fig. l provides aneffective device for transporting" fowls, the device shown in Fig. et also providing a strong'and effective device by' means ofwhich eggs may be safely trans'- ported wit-hout danger of being broken. Handles 28n coopfor allowing; the same to Vey-ed from place 'to place.

What I claim is Y* In a foldable crate ofthe kind described, a base, a frame hinged to each end Vthereof and foldable thereon, a frame'hinged to `each side of said base and foldable upon the end frames,1a top/formed-'of two foldable frames, each of'said framesbeing hinged to a side frame, and means for fastening the end frames and top frames together, of a piece of'wireV bent to form a be easily condepending loop'at one end engaging the wire of an end frame'and withl horizontal parallel portions resting upon the topy of the top frame and with a pair of depending looped portions projecting through the top of the top frame,

and a pair of' vertical looped portions eachl straddlinga wire ofthe top frame, and up'- yielding' ends engaging the meeting edges of the top frame.

In testimony whereof I' hereunto afx myv signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM BUGKHANNON; lVitnesses-z JOHN I. BnNDnR', THOMASA E. KIDD.v

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington; 1U. C.`

consisting are secured to the base of the l 

